Tucker Hampson

KRCC News Intern (Graduated 2016)

Tucker is a Creative Writing major at Colorado College. In addition to working at KRCC, Tucker enjoys running, drumming, singing, and music production. He's also a member of the Colorado College Cross Country and Track teams. Tucker is from Saratoga Springs, New York.

The National Forest Service is deciding on possible moth mitigation near Cheyenne Mountain. The Tussock Moth feeds on Douglas firs and spruce, and emerges during cyclical outbreaks that last anywhere from 2-4 years.

Colorado Springs residents packed the gymnasium at Gold Camp Elementary School on Wednesday evening to discuss the controversial proposed land swap with the Broadmoor that would include Strawberry Hill. They came to hear about the property appraisals and to see the building plans for the Broadmoor stable and pavilion intended for the meadow at Strawberry Field.

Northern El Paso County remains under a blizzard warning until 8 PM. Southern El Paso County is under a Winter Weather Advisory until 6 PM. Public safety groups are urging people to stay off the roads.

An informational meeting on the possibility of bringing passenger rail back to Pueblo is taking place tomorrow.

Southwest Chief efforts have received two federal grants in as many years totaling more than $48 million, about half of the funds needed to repair the current route.

Pueblo County Commissioner Sal Pace also heads the state's Southwest Chief Commission, which is tasked with coordinating efforts to preserve the line and ultimately bring it back to the steel city.

"We feel right now that the existential threat has passed us mostly," says Pace, "and we can now start focusing on the final piece, which is connecting Pueblo to the Southwest Chief route."

Pace says the community meeting will help citizens get involved with bringing the Chief to Pueblo, and layout what they still need to do to repair the line. That includes seeking state and federal funding, and applying for a third federal grant in April.

The meeting is set to take place Thursday, March 3rd at the Pueblo City-County Health Department at 5:30 PM.

The city of Colorado Springs is backing a new website dedicated to psychological trauma support. It was created to help those affected by recent shootings in town, but is designed to help anyone who has experienced any recent trauma.

A study of the 2012 Waldo Canyon wildfire recommends that crews fighting similar fires that spread into urban areas be trained in both structure protection and traditional wildland firefighting tactics.

Alex Maranghides, fire protection engineer for the National Institute of Standards and Technology, or NIST says the investigation shows defensive measures specifically designed for the wildland urban interface, or WUI, can benefit firefighting efforts.

Community leaders in the Pikes Peak region are taking on the issue of chronic homelessness, and they're seeking public engagement at a summit in Colorado Springs.

A collaborative group called Continuum of Care is looking to create a 5-year plan for addressing homelessness in Colorado Springs and El Paso County.

Anne Beer is the Vice President of Income and Housing Stability at Pikes Peak United Way, which is helping to spearhead the initiative. She says finding housing and enrolling people in support services is only the first step.

The Colorado Springs Police Department has received a grant of $600,000 to purchase 500 body cameras. The department plans to assign the cameras to about 470 police officers who work closely with citizens.

Policies will come after public input, says CSPD Commander Pat Rigdon, adding that they'll also be informed by the department's pilot program and by what other police departments have done.

The Colorado State Fair is full swing in Pueblo this week, and early numbers show a possible increase in turnout over last year.

The Fair saw an average of 45,000 people a day over opening weekend, a 2% increase in attendance says Chris Wiseman, Colorado State Fair General Manager. Wiseman says he's optimistic about the coming weekend, but adds anything could happen.

The USA Pro Challenge recently announced the route for this year’s bicycling race, and as expected, Colorado Springs was not among the stage cities. KRCC’s Tucker Hampson reports.

The race provides an economic boost to all of Colorado, bringing in over $100 million statewide.

Director of Communications with the Colorado Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau Chelsy Offutt says the event continues to grow, with a 12% increase in revenue last year. Offut says Colorado Springs did put in a bid to host the Pro Challenge this year, but didn’t make the cut.

The roads were milled and ready for paving when the recent heavy rainfalls hit, causing them to deteriorate. Colorado Springs Street Division Manager Corey Farkas says while they can’t plan for the weather, it hasn’t affected the project timeline.

The City of Colorado Springs is currently accepting proposals from architectural and engineering firms to design the new Pikes Peak Summit Visitor Center. KRCC’s Tucker Hampson reports.

Over 600,000 people reach the summit of Pikes Peak each year, according to the city’s numbers. Manager Jack Glavan says the existing facilities at the top are 50 years old, and it’s time the peak saw some improvements.